The clothing store The Gap is known for their great ads. This fall, the ad campaign has centred around popular musicians answering the question, "What's your favourite song?" (The "ad" part is that a favourite song is like a favourite pair of jeans, which of course, can be found only at the Gap.) I really dig the TV spots, because I think it's kind of neat to find out what someone's favourite song is… and professional musicians, in my mathematical-logic, must know a whole lot of songs, so their favourites must be really meaningful to them. Whether that's true or not, it's my gut reaction to the campaign – which I'm sure is kind of what they were going for – and it's given me a conversation-starter – "What's your favourite song?"
I am a true music lover. I love all sorts of really eclectic styles of music, and I know the words to about a million songs. My mother complained about this recently as she was helping me paint my bedroom. We had the station tuned in to a station that plays a lot of 60s, 70s, and 80s music, and I was happily singing along. She stopped me and said, "Is there any song you DON'T know the words to?!?" Of course there are, but it's true I do tend to remember song lyrics very easily. In any case, you would think someone like me, who loves so much music and is so passionate about it, would have trouble choosing a favourite. But no, you'd be wrong.
I do have a favourite song. It's a total gut reaction when someone asks me the question – it's like I have no other possible answer. I've loved this song since I was a little girl, about 6 or 7 probably. My favourite song is Brown Eyed Girl, by Van Morrison. I think it's just a perfect song: it's about love lost, a bit wistful, but cheerful; it's catchy and sing-able; it's sunny, must have been written in the summer, and reminds me of happy days. It always makes me smile, I never get tired of hearing it, and of course, I know all the words. (Imagine how pissed off I was when I went to see Van Morrion in concert a few years ago and he DIDN'T perform Brown Eyed Girl. It was like a betrayal.)
It's only when I overthink it that I come up with other songs that are special favourites to me. My initial, gut response is always Brown Eyed Girl. But to round out the top 5: Imagine, by John Lennon; You Can't Always Get What You Want, by the Rolling Stones; Solsbury Hill, by Peter Gabriel; and D'yer Maker, by Led Zepplin. (I just realized all my favourites are by male artists… weird.) All these songs make me FEEL something – happiness, hopefulness, sadness. I think that's why I love them so much.
So, I'm going to open up the question to anyone else out there who might be reading. I think a favourite song tells a lot about a person…
so, what's your favourite song?
Also Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, then Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (in that order)
Oh I love when someone else has the same favourite as me! A lot of people give me flack about my favourite song… it’s too cliche, too over-done. I say, screw them! Brown Eyed Girl RULES!
If you’d like to hear some, erm, interesting Van Morrison, check out this page
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/09/van_morrisons_c.html
ummmmm…. oh dear. I think my favourite was “I can tell by the look on your face that you’ve got ring worm… it’s a very common disease…”
I could no sooner pick a favorite star in the sky.. But my gut reaction is “Maggie Mae” by Rod Stewart. It is my name’s sake & a great song to dance too. Unlike Van, rod has serenaded me each time I saw him.
Thanks for the note, Maggie. I like that song a lot, too – and it’s hard to resist a song with which you share a name!
Hmm, for me, my favorite songs tend to shift a little. When I was younger, Summer of 69 was my favorite song for quite a while, occasionally replaced by a few Bruce Springsteen oldies. Now, my favorite song would have to be a tune — a fiddle tune to be exact. “Angus Donald Beaton’s Lament’ written by Donald Angus Beaton and released recently by Glenn Graham. It was written by my granduncle about my grandfather who died in 1958. A little clip is found here if interested: http://www.castlebaymusic.com/audio/glenngraham/drive/12LIVEATSTRATHSPEYPLACE.ram